Malinga to miss second Test against India - Mendis in

Sa'adi Thawfeeq

July 24, 2010

Lasith Malinga isn't fit enough to torment India once again in the second Test © AFP

Lasith Malinga, the Sri Lankan fast bowler, has been rested from the second Test against India beginning in Colombo on July 26. Malinga was one of the architects of Sri Lanka's ten-wicket win in Galle but will miss out at the SSC because of "stiffness in his knee". He will be replaced by Dilhara Fernando, while spinner Ajantha Mendis also returned to the squad.

Aravinda de Silva, the chairman of selectors, said Malinga was rested on the advice of team physiotherapist Tommy Simsek after the bowler complained of stiffness in his dodgy right knee, which had kept him out of Test cricket for 30 months.

"We have to be cautious with Malinga. He was not feeling quite fit to go through a five-day Test. He complained of stiffness in his knee," de Silva said. "We are closely monitoring Malinga's fitness and we are hopeful he will be fully fit for the third Test starting in ten days time." The third Test starts on August 3 at the P Sara Oval.

Malinga had made his comeback to Test cricket in Galle after a long absence and played a critical role in Sri Lanka's victory by taking 5 for 50 in the second innings. He bowled a total of 30 overs in the match for seven wickets.

The setback to Malinga is a severe blow for Sri Lanka especially since the SSC Test will be their first after Muttiah Muralitharan retired from the format. Malinga and Muralitharan had combined to take 15 of India's 20 wickets in Galle.

Mendis, who had taken 6 for 67 in a practice game against the Indians but was overlooked for the first Test, is likely to take Muralitharan's place. The other contender for the spot, offspinner Suraj Randiv, retained his place in the squad.

Following Muralitharan's retirement, former captain Mahela Jayawardene was named vice-captain to Kumar Sangakkara. "We want Mahela, who has a good cricket brain, to be part of the decision-making process in the middle," de Silva said.

Squad: Kumar Sangakkara (capt), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Tharanga Paranavitana, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Angelo Mathews, Prasanna Jayawardene, Ajantha Mendis, Dilhara Fernando, Chanaka Welagedara, Suraj Randiv, Rangana Herath, Thilina Kandamby, Dammika Prasad, Lahiru Thirimanne, Nuwan Pradeep.

Much depends on the third M

Sri Lanka v India, 2nd Test, Colombo

Sidharth Monga in Colombo

July 24, 2010

In the absence of Murali and Malinga, Ajantha Mendis becomes Sri Lanka's biggest threat © AFP

M&M has been the theme of India's last two tours of Sri Lanka. In 2008 it was Murali and Mendis, in 2010's first Test India were demolished by Murali and Malinga. By the second Test of the series, one of the Ms has retired, the other has broken down.

Thankfully for Sri Lanka, it doesn't seem to be a serious injury. Not enough, it seems, to make the fast bowler wonder whether coming back to Test cricket was the right move. "It is just some stiffness in the knee," Champaka Ramanayake, the bowling coach, said, "Nothing to do with the old injury. If all goes right he should be back by the third Test."

The selectors have a tough choice to make with Malinga. "After what he has gone through - people thought that he might not be able to play cricket again, some even thought he might not be able to walk - when you come out of that state, you have to respect what his body is saying," said Ranjit Fernando, one of the national selectors. "And that's what we are doing because we can't take one day at a time. We have to look at the World Cup. He is going to play a very important role during the World Cup.

"So that's where it stands right now. If he says that he is ready by the time the third Test comes and also if the physio certifies it, he may feature in the third Test. We have no clue as to how a body is behaving, so we have to look up to people who know it the best."

Until he does come back, the third M, Ajantha Mendis, who himself is making a comeback after a rather indifferent second year in Test cricket, has a big job to do. If his debut was hugely anticipated, this comeback will also be keenly watched. Not the least because he will be the only man in the attack with an average under 30. Or because he has been treated rather shabbily by the Indian and Pakistani batsmen after that magical debut series.

Saman Hervavitharana, Mendis' first coach, at Army Sports Club, believes technical flaws had crept into Mendis' bowling over the last two years. He had started rushing through his run-up, and more importantly he had stopped getting close enough to the stumps while delivering. That, Hervavitharana says, took away his accuracy and made the variations less effective.

On his comeback trail, a few days after being left out of the squad for the first Test, Mendis did make an emphatic statement. He took 6 for 67 in the tour game against the Indians, including the wickets of Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Gautam Gambhir. He was lucky to get Tendulkar out lbw, but he had also managed to beat him with a carrom ball. He troubled Laxman for a longer period before getting his wicket.

Hervavitharana didn't see the tour game, but believes Mendis is bowling better. "A bit better, but not at his best." He hasn't worked with Mendis, who is with the national team, much of late, though Mendis called him today before going for his first net session back with the national team.

Mendis will know that with all the technical analysis of his bowling, given the flat pitch at the SSC and the inexperience of the whole attack, "a bit better" might not be enough.

Sidharth Monga is a staff writer at Cricinfo

Ajantha Mendis continues hosts' domination

The Bulletin by Sidharth Monga in Colombo

July 14, 2010

Sri Lanka Board President's XI 514 for 9 decl (Tharanga 110, Kandamby 101, Samaraweera 101, Thirimanne 66) lead Indians 291 (Yuvraj 118, Gambhir 89, Mendis 6-67) by 223 runs
Scorecard

Ajantha Mendis did his Test prospects no harm with a six-for © AFP

Yuvraj Singh made optimum use of the tour game to ensure his place at No. 6 in the Test line-up, scoring an entertaining and assured century, but could not save the Indians the embarrassment of not making the follow-on mark against the Board Presidents' XI. Ajantha Mendis gave the selectors enough reasons to pick him for the second Test, taking the wickets of Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Gautam Gambhir among his six.

That the Indians could last only 64.2 overs will add more concern on a tour that has brought them much bad news. Two of their first-choice bowlers have gone back to India, one is down with fever, the rest of the bowlers struggled, and when their turn came to bat they could last just two sessions.

Twin strikes from Chanaka Welegedara and Mendis had left the Indians at a precarious 80 for 4, but Yuvraj took the initiative in attacking Mendis and added 143 with Gautam Gambhir. Gambhir got three lives, played well otherwise, but missed out on a century. Another collapse ensued, and Yuvraj fought cramps, shielded Ishant Sharma, but could not see the Indians through to the follow-on mark.

After Pragyan Ojha took two tail-end wickets to complete a potentially Test-spot-sealing five-for, Thilan Samaraweera declared the innings to give the Indians six overs to bat before lunch. Virender Sehwag and Gambhir entertained in that short spell. Sehwag hit the first ball of spin he faced for six over extra cover, in the last over before the break, from offspinner Sachitra Senanayake, bowling ahead of Mendis.

The first ball after the break, though, Sehwag played on from Welegedara, and in the same over Mendis misjudged a leading edge from Gambhir, who was 17 then. Rahul Dravid soon edged one to slip. Sachin Tendulkar beautifully punched the first ball he faced for four, but fell lbw in Mendis' first over. The carrom ball, though, seemed to be missing the off stump, and Tendulkar suggested as much as he walked off. VVS Laxman didn't look comfortable against Mendis, and duly edged a quick legbreak. At that point, the follow-on looked not only a possibility but the favoured outcome.

During the collapse, Gambhir faced a testing spell of swing from Welegedara and short-pitched stuff from Dilhara Fernando, who found his edge but saw Dinesh Chandimal drop him in the slips. Soon after Laxman's dismissal, Samaraweera dropped at short extra cover the easiest of chances that Gambhir presented, which would have made the score 80 for 5. Gambhir was 30 then, and in the same over cleared Samaraweera comfortably.

Mendis, bowling in a nice rhythm then, beat Yuvraj with a googly. That was the last instance in a long time that the bowlers would come close to a moral victory against Yuvraj. The most impressive aspect of the innings was how Yuvraj used his feet against the spinners, the breed of bowlers known to trouble him the most in Tests.

The next googly Mendis tried, he read early, stepped out of the crease, and sent out of the stadium. Gambhir followed lead and lofted Mendis over long-off. Soon Mendis was taken off, and it went smoothly for both the batsmen. Yuvraj was particularly harsh, hitting six sixes, over long-on, midwicket and square leg. When the straight field was set back, he used the sweep shot to good effect, finding boundaries. The punches and drives through covers were not to be missed. There was cheekiness involved too, when they ran a single even as Senanayake was appealing for lbw and the ball hadn't even gone a few feet.

When Yuvraj was 62 off 55, Fernando got one to straighten from round the stumps. That was only the second time Yuvraj was beaten. The batsmen went into tea having raised their fifties and having deflated the attack for the time being. After tea, though, Gambhir looked to dominate Mendis some more, and paid the price. He tried to loft the bowler straight went towards long-on, and Upul Tharanga took a good catch running back. Soon MS Dhoni got out softly, guiding an offbreak to leg gully, off the face of the bat.

Mendis then wrapped his grip around the long tail, beating Amit Mishra with a wrong'un. When Ishant Sharma came to bat at No. 9, Yuvraj shielded him from Mendis, hit another huge six, but with cramps hampering his foot movement, he missed an offbreak from Senanayake when looking to slog-sweep.

Mendis got through the next two without trouble, India ended 223 short, and Samaraweera went for pain rather than possible humiliation, choosing to bat again rather than trying to go for a win against the visitors. Even as half of the Indian players, who had been sent for net practice to another ground in the city, hurriedly made their way back, bad light ensured the Board Presidents' XI's innings wouldn't start.

Sidharth Monga is a staff writer at Cricinfo

Mendis responds to Test snub in style

He may have lacked the accuracy shown in the 2008 series, but Ajantha Mendis has made a strong case for an early recall to the Test side

Sidharth Monga in Colombo

July 14, 2010

It won't be surprising if Sri Lanka call Mendis up for one last tango with Muttiah Muralitharan © AFP

Ajantha Mendis will be a factor in this series. It could be the Kookaburra, it could be the pitches, it could be something in the Sri Lankan air, but after his 6 for 67 against India's Test line-up, he just can't be ignored. In fact it won't be surprising if Sri Lanka call him up for one last tango with Muttiah Muralitharan, for old times' sake. Old times, which admittedly lasted only three Tests after which Mendis seemed to be sorted out.

Against his favoured opponents, though, which happens to arguably be the best middle-order of our times, Mendis - out of the squad for the first Test in Galle, Murali's last - did enough to cast doubts in selectors' minds if they were ever thinking about going the whole series without him. The main chunk of work, as it usually is with Mendis, was swift.

Mendis came on to bowl after Chanaka Welegedara had given the Board President's XI two breakthroughs, but he was now bowling to perhaps the two best players of spin in India: Sachin Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir. The first ball he bowled was clipped away for one by Gambhir. Tendulkar stretched forward and defended the second - play him like a seamer, remember? The third ball was the carrom ball, the pitch offered him turn, and the umpire seemed to have assisted on the lbw even as it seemed to be missing off. But the signs were there, he had at least beaten Tendulkar's bat, and squared him up, something he seemed incapable of doing when he played his solitary Test in India.

He troubled VVS Laxman for a longer period. The turning pitch made the carrom ball effective, Laxman was seen jabbing at legbreaks away from his body, and soon the edge came. Two quick wickets in 16 deliveries, and even though this is a tour match, memories of 2008 came back. There was soon a big shout for caught-behind against Yuvraj Singh, but the umpire said he had merely beaten the batsman. As soon as Gambhir and Yuvraj started to counterattack, Thilan Samaraweera took Mendis off. Two sharp strikes had been made, and it appeared they didn't want to expose too much of Mendis.

"By and large, it's a question of when to use him," said Ranjit Fernando, a national selector, a day before the start of the game. "You don't want to overexpose him. A precious commodity like him has to be handled as best as we can. We may probably not be 100% while handling him, we may make mistakes, but the intention is to use him in an optimum manner."

When Samaraweera was asked whether what they saw in Mendis' six overs was enough to impress them, and they later took him off to not show too much of him to the opposition, he just laughed in a manner not ruling out that that indeed was the thinking.

Fernando also said there was no way Mendis was out of their plans. "He might be devastating on a wicket that has bounce," Fernando said. "That's one of the problems he has had recently. Pitches in Sri Lanka have lacked bounce. Murali, by wearing batsmen down, has picked up wickets. But someone other than him doesn't have the patience. At the same time, it will be foolish to write him off. If you say that people have found a way to play him, he will be the first person to make you look like an idiot."

Later, when Mendis was brought back in the final session, the partnership between Gambhir and Yuvraj was flourishing. The feeling that Mendis needed to be dominated played a role in Gambhir's dismissal, when he mis-hit an attempted straight loft. With the tail - and it was a long one with Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan out - Mendis was swift, taking out Amit Mishra, Ishant Sharma and Pragyan Ojha out cheaply. The wickets might have come easily, but the importance of a man who can run through the tail cannot be overstated.

Still, Mendis didn't bowl as well as figures of 6 for 67 suggest. The accuracy of 2008, the habit of staying at it throughout the spells, isn't quite fully back. There were a fair few long hops bowled, and he was lucky Yuvraj didn't hit most of them because they were bowled out of his reach down the leg side.

This is also just a tour game. The pressures of playing a Test are different, the mindset of the same batsmen will be different. He might not have the luxury of coming in to bowl at 67 for 2, he might not have 500-plus on the board. There are many factors to suggest this performance won't necessarily translate into success in Tests, but surely Mendis has earned the right to have a go at it.

Sidharth Monga is a staff writer at Cricinfo

Bowlers the focus in tour opener

Sidharth Monga in Colombo

July 12, 2010

Ajantha Mendis will have to prove to the selectors that he's the man to fill the void left by Murali © AFP

Colts Cricket Club Ground is an idyllic, old-fashioned cricket ground, surrounded by trees, in Havelock Town in Colombo 5. A late replacement for the Nondescripts Cricket Club, the Colts Ground was slated to host what is usually a quaint tour game to kick off India's tour, but the game has now become almost a Test trial for both sides.

India have run into fitness issues, with Zaheer Khan and Sreesanth injured and Harbhajan Singh down with fever. Sri Lanka have chosen a strong Board President's XI side, with six members from the Test squad looking to impress the team management. Ajantha Mendis, not in the squad for the first Test, has been given an opportunity too.

The Indian XI is now wide open. If Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina and M Vijay get picked for the tour game, a really impressive show from any one of them against an attack featuring Dilhara Fernando, Chanaka Welegedara and Mendis could seal him the No. 6 spot for the Galle Test.

More interesting and desperate is the bowling department. With Zaheer and Sreesanth now out, Abhimanyu Mithun will be backing himself for the Test pace attack along with Ishant Sharma. Mithun, though, will look for a solid performance against the likes of Thilan Samaraweera, Upul Tharanga and Lahiru Thirimanne to make sure that Sreesanth's replacement, to be named some time on Monday, doesn't overtake him in the preference for the Test slot.

Amit Mishra and Pragyan Ojha have for long been taking turns to assist Harbhajan in the spin department, but neither of them has impressed the selectors enough to become a definite starter. With Harbhajan still recovering from the fever and yet to attend a training session, both of them are likely to get a chance to stake claims for the Test spot.

Sri Lanka, too, have an uncertain bowling line-up, especially the pace department. While Muttiah Muralitharan is a definite starter, Galle being his last Test, either of Rangana Herath or Suraj Randiv will form the spin duo. Among the fast bowlers, though, any two of Lasith Malinga, Dammika Prasad, Fernando and Welegedara can be picked in the XI.

Two of them, Fernando and Welegedara, will get a chance in Colombo to send notice to the captain and the coach. That two of them have been asked to show their form in the tour game could suggest that Malinga and Prasad have a lead over them, but a five-for against a near-Test side never hurt anybody.

Most interesting, though, will be how Mendis bowls. He will be up against the same batting line-up that he tortured two years ago; the same batsmen have been torturing him since. He knows there will be a vacancy with Murali retiring after the first Test. He also knows he needs to convince them that he is the man to fill it. Mendis will be bowling to get his Test career back on track, to the same set of blokes he launched it against in the first place.

Sidharth Monga is a staff writer at Cricinfo

Mendis left out of home series against India

India in Sri Lanka 2010

Sa'adi Thawfeeq

July 9, 2010

Lasith Malinga is set to play his first Test since December 2007 © AFP

Fast bowler Lasith Malinga has been named in the 16-member Sri Lanka squad for the three-Test series against India beginning on July 18, setting him up for a return to Tests after two-and-a-half years . However, there was no place for spinner Ajantha Mendis, who tormented India during their previous Test visit two years ago.

Malinga played his last Test against England at Galle in 2007 before a knee injury laid him low and forced him out of cricket for nine months. Malinga was cured by Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse's personal physician Dr Eliyantha White and since then his appearances for his country has been only in limited-over internationals and in Twenty20 Internationals.

Malinga's return to Test cricket was slow because the team physio did not want to push him too early to play in the longer version of the game. However selection committee sources stated that they had got the greenlight from physio Tommy Simsek who has been monitoring Malinga's progress carefully that he was now fully fit to play in a five-day Test match.

"Malinga has nine more days before the first Test against India and we are confident he will be fit to play. He has been bowling long spells at the nets and has shown no side effects," a selection committee source said. Since making his Test debut against Australia at Darwin in 2004, Malinga has played in 28 Tests and captured 91 wickets.The other members of the fast-bowling department are Dilhara Fernando, Chanaka Welegedara and Dammika Prasad.

Offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan who is due to retire at the end of Galle Test has also been named in the squad along with left-arm spinner Rangana Herath and young off-spinner Suraj Randiv who is likely to take Muralitharan's place for the rest of the series. Mendis, who became a star with 26 wickets in three Tests against India when they visited in 2008, was left out.

The Sri Lanka Board President's team to take on India in a three-day practice match ahead of the Tests was also named. Thilan Samaraweera will lead the side which includes first-choice Test keeper Prasanna Jayawardene and promising batsmen Lahiru Thirimanne, Ashan Priyanjan and Dinesh Chandimal.

Test squad: Kumar Sangakkara (capt), Muttiah Muralitharan (vc), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Tharanga Paranavitana, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Angelo Mathews, Prasanna Jayawardene, Lasith Malinga, Rangana Herath, Dilhara Fernando, Dammika Prasad, Suraj Randiv, Thilina Kandamby, Chanaka Welegedara, Lahiru Thirimanne.

Sri Lanka Board President's XI: Thilan Samaraweera (capt), Upul Tharanga, Lahiru Thirimanne, Thilina Kandamby, Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), Ashan Priyanjana, Kaushal Silva, Chanaka Welegedara, Dilhara Fernando, Chaminda Vidanapathirana, Sachitra Senanayake, Ajantha Mendis, Nuwan Pradeep, Kusal Janith, Dinesh Chandimal

India can handle Mendis - Dravid

Cricinfo staff

June 28, 2010

Rahul Dravid will make his return to international cricket on India's tour of Sri Lanka after an absence of almost six months © Associated Press

Rahul Dravid is confident India can handle the threat posed by "mystery spinner" Ajantha Mendis on the tour of Sri Lanka next month. Mendis tormented India's batsmen in 2008, taking 26 wickets in what was his debut series, as the home side emerged 2-1 winners over three Tests.

Dravid said India had figured out Mendis over the last two years and should be able to play him well. "He is still a good bowler," he told reporters. "He was completely new to us when we toured Sri Lanka last time. He got the measure our team last time, there is no doubt about it. He played a major role in the series. But hopefully, we have learnt our lesson.

"I think we played him pretty well when he came to India. We learnt how to tackle him. Having said that international bowlers keep on improving, international bowlers come up with new tricks every time. But hopefully we will have the answers [to] whatever Mendis throws at us this time."

Mendis played just one Test on Sri Lanka's tour of India last year, taking two wickets while conceding 162 runs.

The last time Dravid played international cricket was in January, when he scored an unbeaten century against Bangladesh in the second of two Tests. Injury ruled him out the subsequent series against South Africa, but he was part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore team that finished third in the IPL. He said he needed a little time to get back into the rhythm of Test cricket.

"Sometimes, it is little bit of challenge to return to Test cricket after a long break but there is preparation time in Sri Lanka. I am looking forward to some match practice before the series."

However, Dravid said the break from cricket was good for him and he has been training hard over the last six weeks to get ready for the tour. He predicted a close contest between two rivals who have seen a lot of each other in recent times.

"Sri Lanka is a very formidable team and they play tough cricket at home. In the last two times we travelled there, we won a Test match but did not win the series. It is a positive sign to win a Test there but it is now important for us to keep that performance going right throughout the upcoming series.

"It is going to be a challenge but we have got a good team. We have got bowlers who are capable of taking 20 wickets, which is important to win a Test. If we can put runs on the board, hopefully we will have a good series."

Galle will host the first Test, which kicks off on July 18, while the next two matches will be held in Colombo, at the SSC and the P Sara Oval. The second and third Tests are between July 26 and 30 and August 3 and 7 respectively.

© ESPN EMEA Ltd.

Ajantha Mendis misses out in Mumbai

Ajantha Mendis will not play in Mumbai © AFP

Ajantha Mendis has been omitted from Sri Lanka's playing XI for the decisive third Test in Mumbai, with the captain Kumar Sangakkara backing a third seam bowler at the Brabourne Stadium. Mendis was included for the second Test in Kanpur as the management opted for a three-pronged spin attack, but after taking 2 for 162 he has been axed.

"Mendis will have to sit out," said Sangakkara. "We'll probably go with an extra seamer than a spinner on this track, which doesn't look as dull as the one at Ahmedabad or Kanpur."

Nuwan Kulasekara, who has returned to full fitness, appeared to have the edge over Dilhara Fernando for the third pace bowler's spot. "In the last two to three series, [Nuwan] Kulasekara has been very consistent in both ODI and Test," said Sangakkara. "So, quality-wise I think Kulasekara has an edge. Dilhara Fernando is coming into the side after a while but he is bowling well and with a lot of pace. It is a tough choice and we'll have to make that tough choice today."

Sri Lanka's bowling combination that has won them 10 of their last 19 Test matches comprised three seamers. They paid the price in Kanpur, opting for a spin trio, and were thrashed by an innings and 144 runs inside four days. Trailing 1-0 in the three-Test series, it is now a must win situation for the visitors, as they look to avoid their first series loss in the last eight encounters, since losing 2-0 in Australia in 2007-08.

"We had a good one in the first Test, not a great game in the second," said Sangakkara. "It's a case of regrouping and keep doing the basics right. We have the side to beat any team in the world. This is another opportunity for us to do that.

"We created quite a few chances with the new ball in both innings of the first Test, and the second innings of the second Test. Creating opportunities is one thing and taking those chances is another. Those are the things that can turn a game especially when the batsmen go on to make big runs. We've got to make sure that our disciplines are good and our catching is right on the mark from ball one."

Sangakkara defended his key spinner Muttiah Muralitharan on the poor form he had shown in the series so far. "Murali is a bowler who has done so much for Sri Lanka and can sometimes have an off day. That's the way cricket goes. That doesn't mean he is any worse a bowler, he is still our best spinner and in my view the best spinner in the world. When you have that quality in the side you have to back that quality and that ability it's no different for tomorrow. Murali is still the spearhead of our attack and we back him 100% to turn it around and win a match for us."

Sa'adi Thawfeeq

Murali and Mendis need to attack

From Sri Lanka's perspective, the second Test could hardly have been more disappointing. They travelled to India with a great deal of expectation and hope, with a team of undoubted quality. In Kanpur, though, they were comprehensively outplayed. It was their poorest Test performance for a long time.

Losing is one thing, but the manner in which the team wilted was alarming. The lack of fight was deeply worrying. After failing to force a win in Ahmedabad in the first Test, it was crucial to get the energy levels high and hit India hard, but when things did not go Sri Lanka's way on the first morning, they went flat fast.

The toss was undoubtedly important. The players all knew that day one was going to be the best day for batting before it started to turn. The loss of the toss was made worse by a spilled catch off Sehwag in the first over and then a very good lbw shout that was turned down. The team's disappointment was understandable, but their reaction was not: heads went down and the negative body language betrayed the evaporating self-belief.

Full credit to India's batsmen; I thought they were superb. They carried the attack to the Sri Lankan spinners, using their feet expertly and seizing on any scoring opportunity. They were aggressive and positive and the slow bowlers were put under a huge amount of pressure. The failure of the spinners to control the game pushed Sri Lanka out of their comfort zone.

After India had got off to a flying start, I was surprised Sri Lanka did not try to clamp down on the run rate with some old-fashioned boring cricket. India were allowed to score too quickly. With more restrictive tactics and field placements, especially against new batsmen, the run rate could have been kept down on the opening day, and that would at least have left Sri Lanka breathing. As it was, the runs were plundered so quickly that the Sri Lanka batting was placed under enormous pressure.

While there seems little doubt that Murali is past his peak, he is still the kingpin of Sri Lanka's attack. For me, the main issue is that he seems low on confidence. There are signs of self-doubt, and the end result is that he has lost a bit of zip. However, I still believe that if he is able to gather himself together mentally and trust and believe in himself, he will bounce back.

Ajantha Mendis was pretty flat and it is fair to say a lot more was expected from him. He needs to shift gears now because players are reading him. He was different and special at the beginning of his career, but batsmen are countering him now. He needs to rise to the challenge, keep his belief and be smarter. He needs more variations while still doing the basics well.

Credit to Rangana Herath. I thought he showed a lot of mental strength. The Indian batsmen understood the threat he posed and they went after him to try and prevent him settling. However, he kept tossing the ball up and sticking to his strengths. When the ball did start to grip on day two, as the pitch started wearing, batting became a different ball game against him.

The three-spinner strategy was not the success that Sri Lanka would have hoped for, but I don't believe it was the wrong tactic. If fewer runs had been conceded on the first day, and if Sri Lanka had pushed India into a second innings then they could really have had an impact.

The main issue for me has been that the spinners, particularly Murali and Ajantha, are not playing with the same confidence that we are used to seeing from them. They are both on the back foot and thinking defensively at a time when Sri Lanka needs them to have a spring in their step. They both need to trust their talent and go out there with a far more positive mindset.

The management are left with a difficult decision as they select the attack for the Mumbai Test. With Dammika Prasad fit again, they might be inclined to revert to two spinners, and that means making a choice between Murali and Ajantha. Murali is obviously the favourite but the final call has to be made after assessing his state of mind.

	Like Sachin Tendulkar frustrated the Sri Lankans on the final day in Ahmedabad, visibly upsetting some of them, Sri Lanka might at least have frustrated India in Kanpur, and thereby clawed back some of the momentum in a mental battle they started losing in the first Test

The batting was also a disappointment for Sri Lanka, although the top order was always under pressure after India was allowed to amass such a mountainous score. In such circumstances you need to just bat without worrying about the scoreboard or time. That, of course, is easier said than done, and in this game the top order did not handle the situation well. Mistakes were made under stress and some of the main batsmen were made to look very ordinary.

In the second innings Sri Lanka should have put up a stronger fight. While batting was harder than on the first day, there were no great terrors in the track even on the fourth day, and I thought India could have been made to work far harder for their victory. Like Sachin Tendulkar frustrated the Sri Lankans on the final day in Ahmedabad, visibly upsetting some of them, Sri Lanka might at least have frustrated India and thereby clawed back some of the momentum in a mental battle they started losing when they failed to trample on India on the evening of the third day and on the fourth morning in the first Test.

The management will also now need to assess whether a change needs to be made to the opening combination. Tharanga Paranavitana has now played nine Test matches but needs to begin making the big hundreds he scores in domestic cricket. In all of his last four innings he has been dismissed between 20 and 38, failing to capitalise on good starts.

Thilina Kandamby is an excellent player, but I think he is better suited to the middle order, where his strength against the spinners will be very useful. Kamdamby could be included by pushing Prasanna Jayawardene up to the opener's slot, but that is a tough ask, considering Prasanna has his wicketkeeping duties as well, so I would seriously consider a debut for Kaushal Silva, who although a wicketkeeper is also a top-class bat.

Whatever the selection, the key to levelling the series in Mumbai will be the way the team reacts to this defeat. A first series win is now impossible, but Sri Lanka cannot let that deflate them. The ability to bounce back in such circumstances is a hallmark of great teams, and squaring the series would be a major achievement. Sri Lanka definitely has the potential, but they need to be far more combative and mentally strong. They need to play with pride, purpose and unshakeable self-belief.

Russel Arnold played 44 Tests and 180 ODIs for Sri Lanka between 1997 and 2007

Thushara, Murali fashion strong win | Ajantha took 2 for 50

Sri Lanka v New Zealand, 1st Test, Galle, 5th day

The Bulletin by Dileep Premachandran

August 22, 2009

Sri Lanka 452 (Samaraweera 159, M Jayawardene 114, Martin 4-77) and 259 for 5 dec. (Dilshan 123) beat New Zealand 299 (McIntosh 69, Murali 4-73, Thushara 4-81) and 210 (Vettori 67, Murali 3-88) by 202 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Muttiah Muralitharan hurried New Zealand to their demise © AFP

With the rain clouds staying away and the Galle sky clear, Sri Lanka romped to victory in the first Test, finishing off proceedings mid-afternoon. The New Zealand tail offered far more resistance than the top order - Daniel Vettori led the way with a brave 67 - but with the spinners coming into their own after early breakthroughs from Thilan Thushara, Sri Lanka eased to a 202-run win. Fittingly Muttiah Muralitharan, who had taken his 100th wicket in Galle earlier in the match, had the final say, running out Brendon McCullum with a superb throw from mid-off to finish off proceedings.

Any realistic hopes that New Zealand had of survival had disappeared soon after lunch, when Jesse Ryder edged Murali behind. McCullum and Vettori staved off the inevitable for a while, and there was polite applause for Vettori when he reached his half-century. Two neat pulls for four off Thushara followed, but by then both Murali and Ajantha Mendis were turning the ball at wicked angles.

And it was Mendis who delivered, coming round the wicket and turning one sharply away to take the edge of Vettori's bat. Once again Prasanna Jayawardene's glovework was smooth, and as Vettori walked back, it was only a matter of when Sri Lanka would wrap things up. McCullum swung Murali for a six, and then swept him for four to rage against dying light, and there were a couple of lovely drives too from Jeetan Patel. But after Mendis had seen him dropped by Malinda Warnapura, substituting for Angelo Mathews, at short leg, Murali struck, with the doosra luring him forward and Prasanna doing the rest.

Iain O'Brien went caught at silly point off the inside edge, and McCullum then made the mistake of taking on Murali's throwing arm to end the contest. The damage, though, had been done much earlier, as Sri Lanka started the morning with some exceptionally tidy overs. The pressure eventually told once Thushara switched the angle of attack to round the wicket. Martin Guptill was clueless against one that came in with the arm and then darted away to clip the top of off stump. Soon after, Tim McIntosh, perhaps still suffering the after-effects of illness, was squared up, and Thilan Samaraweera took a fine low catch at third slip. McIntosh waited for the third umpire's decision, but had to walk off eventually.

An even heftier blow came soon after. Kumar Sangakkara threw the ball to his predecessor as captain, and when Mahela Jayawardene got Ross Taylor to tickle on into Prasanna's hands down the leg side, the Lankan celebrations were raucous. Up in the dressing room, Trevor Bayliss, the coach, held his head in his hands in disbelief.

With the fields more attacking, both Vettori and Jacob Oram had the opportunity to play some strokes. Vettori played a couple of lovely drives, and the sweep and pull were also employed by both as the scoreboard ticked along. But just when it seemed that they might get to lunch without further damage, Oram tried to sweep a straighter one from Mendis, and missed.

Both Vettori and Ryder saw edges off Murali evade wicketkeeper and slip and go for four, but there was to be no great escape for New Zealand. Sri Lanka, whose home form is the envy of so many, chipped away relentlessly and with Thushara adding a cutting edge to the wiles of Murali and Mendis, victory was as inevitable as it was emphatic.

Dileep Premachandran is an associate editor at Cricinfo

Mendis could miss out as Sri Lanka opt for pace

Sa'adi Thawfeeq in Colombo

July 19, 2009

In his last four Tests, all against Pakistan, Mendis has taken just six wickets at 65.83 © AFP

Kumar Sangakkara, the Sri Lankan captain, has hinted at picking four seamers for the final Test against Pakistan which means the out-of-form spinner Ajantha Mendis could sit out the match starting Monday. Left-arm medium-pacer Chaminda Vaas will be returning to the side for the Test, which he announced will be his last.

"Playing four seamers is a very good possibility, the combinations are endless with the quality we have," Sangakkara said. "The best balance is always seven batsmen and four bowlers depending on who the bowlers are. We've played cricket at the SSC with six batsmen and five bowlers, one of them being an allrounder. Those two conditions sit very well with us."

Since his debut in July 2008, Mendis has only missed one out of nine Tests Sri Lanka played - against Bangladesh, when he twisted his ankle. But in his last four Tests, all against Pakistan, Mendis has taken just six wickets at 65.83, compared to his first four in which he took 33 at 18.36.

Sri Lanka have already won the series 2-0 going into this Test and Sangakkara said they would aim to bat Pakistan out of the match, having failed to do so in the previous ones. "If we really buckle down and play positively and look to score runs that opportunity will come to more than one of our batsmen." No Sri Lankan batsman has scored a century in the two Tests.

"It's always a tough thing to make a clean sweep," Sangakkara said. "You want to have a clean sweep but the key towards achieving that is hard work, training and making sure on the match day you go out there and execute everything that was discussed, all the game plans, individual responsibility etc. Just wanting to win and expecting to win doesn't really work without the effort."

Sangakkara ruled out the possibility of any complacency from his side in the dead rubber. "Pakistan has played patchy cricket so have we. Unfortunately their patches have been more disastrous than ours. We've had opportunities where we could have won Test matches at a canter but we didn't convert it. Pakistan had the same opportunities and they didn't convert and managed to give us wins."

Younis Khan, the Pakistan captain, was worried by his side's batting collapses. In the first Test in Galle, Pakistan lost their last eight wickets for 46 while chasing 168. At the P Sara, they were bowled out for 90 in the first innings and lost their last eight wickets for 26 in the second.

"In the last two Tests there were 15 sessions and we dominated 12 of them and lost the Tests in the remaining three sessions," Younis said. "It's amazing what's happening to us. We have to do well in the final Test because after that we have five ODIs and one Twenty20. The guys will be more focused on partnerships. Maybe we should play some games when wickets are falling or chat amongst ourselves to handle the pressure better. This is a personal thing. In international cricket you need to have more focus and motivation. We can handle that. At the moment we need more partnerships."

Younis said despite the series loss, the players were motivated and the criticism from former players would spur them on further. "The mental state is very simple, everybody wants to win. It is a good time for the senior guys to come forward and deliver. The Test series is lost but we still have the ODI series and Twenty20 if we can win them it will be good for Pakistan cricket." Younis said it was difficult to succeed in Tests after not playing any since December 2007. However, he added, international cricket was about adapting to different conditions. "We need to focus more and deliver."

Challenging new role for Mendis

How will he react to having to lead Sri Lanka's most inexperienced Test attack in a long time?

Sidharth Monga in Galle

July 3, 2009

Without Murali putting pressure at the other end, how will Mendis cope against a side which has played him well? © AFP

Two teams best suited to make a mockery out of structures and 'processes' promise an unpredictable Test, which no longer favours Sri Lanka because of Muttiah Muralitharan's absence. Anyone out of a 17-year-old prodigy, a former pariah refusing to fade away, a 31-year-old left-arm spinner, a six-Test old mystery spinner, a 30-year-old fast bowler waiting for his Test debut, an uncapped 22-year-old who took three wickets in the first over of the World Twenty20 semi-final but is known for his prolific run-scoring in domestic cricket, and an offspinner who has bowled big legbreaks only in limited-overs internationals could decide this match.

The most important strand of this story, though, is Ajantha Mendis. Like it should be with any self-respecting mystery spinner, Mendis' last year was eventful. This time last year, he was embarrassing the Indian Fab Four in Tests, only to suggest his mystery was wearing off in the subsequent ODIs against India and Pakistan and the IPL, before coming back to mesmerise the world again in the World Twenty20.

Now there is no Murali, at least for the next five days, to build pressure from the other end, or to do the damage when Mendis is struggling. How will he react to having to lead Sri Lanka's most inexperienced Test attack in a long time? If his captain is to be believed, expect a new facet of Mendis to surface. "He is going to enjoy it," said Kumar Sangakkara. "He is a very, very tough character, he has got a good head on his shoulders, he is going to enjoy going out there, being the No. 1 bowler, and taking the pressure on."

What about Pakistan being reputed to playing him well? Like Younis Khan said it is not about doing anything differently, but just being able to read him well. "Mendis has changed from his last Pakistan tour," said Sangakkara. "Sides will have different ways of playing him, some will be more successful than others. Pakistan of course have been playing him quite well, but that doesn't mean Mendis is not going to be effective against them. We just need to fine-tune our thinking and field settings, and let him be as creative as he wants to be."

Not all of the other characters might get to play but have a look at the number of debutants regardless. For Sri Lanka, one out of Angelo Mathews and Kaushal Silva will surely debut. Suraj Kaluhalamulla, who announced today that he had changed his name from Suraj Mohamed, is more likely to replace Murali because Rangana Herath, the other candidate, was flown in today from England, where he was playing minor counties.

Pakistan's Mohammad Aamer and Abdur Rauf are almost certainties unless Younis changes his mind and doesn't play three fast bowlers, which he said was an aggressive move. If Saeed Ajmal is preferred to Danish Kaneria, even he will be getting his first cap. It will be a debut of sorts for Mohammad Yousuf as well with international cricket having changed drastically since he last played.

The pitch and conditions only add to the unknown. The rains made sure the whole ground had to be covered for two days before it could be unveiled it today. Then the grass was cut to make it look like a cricket field. At 10am today, after the Sri Lankan team had arrived for practice, a sea of humanity got to work to get the ground ready. It's a minor miracle in the Land of Small Miracles that the Galle International Stadium is ready to host a Test despite the rains.

While the captains sounded not dissatisfied with the outfield, the pitch remains a big unknown. It has rough patches already, and no live grass. While it all points to a big turner, there is a possibility that too much moisture might have seeped underneath, which could result in a slow turner. Both the captains refused to predict how the surface would behave. Any result from a three-day finish to a high-scoring draw is possible.

Then again this could turn out to be a regular Galle pitch, on which the old hands like Mahela Jayawardene, Younis, Umar Gul, Sangakkara could prove to be the most crucial players. And wouldn't it be fulfilling to watch some old-world cricketers outshine such exciting new talent?

Sidharth Monga is a staff writer at Cricinfo